Ways to Support Your Student

December is an exciting time on Georgia Tech’s campus. Everyone anticipates the end of classes and the winter break after a busy semester.

Full Summary:

No summary paragraph submitted.

December is an exciting time on Georgia Tech’s campus. Everyone anticipates the end of classes and the winter break after a busy semester. While classes do conclude early in the month, final exams and concerns related to spring semester can make December a stressful time for students. Parents and friends can help their students by providing support in some key ways.

First-year students may be especially worried about final exams since this is a new experience for them. Students may feel that they need to re-work every problem, memorize, or re-read everything that has been assigned since August. If this were true — and it is not! — finals would be very overwhelming. Remind students that planning and time management will help them prepare and thrive. Now is the time for students to review syllabi, past exams and assignments, and to identify what they need to review and master prior to final exams. Remind them to make themselves aware of deadlines, such as the last day for tutoring appointments, and to plan to visit their professors’ and TAs’ office hours before the last day of classes. Parents can also help by encouraging students to manage stress by getting enough sleep, exercise, and healthy meals and snacks.

Although registration is currently closed until Phase II opens on January 3, December can be a great time for students to schedule an appointment with their academic advisor. Students considering making changes to their spring schedules should meet with advisors, but students can also use this relatively quiet time to explore studying abroad, undergraduate research, or other programs, including learning about minors and certificates. December is also a good time for students who are worried about their academic standing or are considering changing majors to meet with advisors for help connecting with campus resources or for a professional and supportive perspective.

Students who are disappointed with their fall semester grades should take some time over the winter break to reflect on and learn from their academic performance. Anyone can make plans for a strong start to spring semester by checking out the Success Summit. http://success.gatech.edu/success-summit